Crate.



H. H. GUMMER.

GRATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.22, 1909.

947,625, Patented. Jan. 25, 1910.

ATTORNEYS HERBERT I-I. CUIVIIVIER, OF CADILLAC, MICHIGAN.

CRATE.

Specification of Letters ?atent.

Patented Jan. 25,1910.

Application filed March 22, 1909. Serial No. 484,923.

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known that I, HERBERT H. CUMMER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cadillac, in the county of VVexford and State ofMichigan, have invented a new and Improved Crate, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention is an improvement in crates, and has in View a knock-downconstruction embodying simplicity and strength and which may be easilyerected and disassembled, and when in the latter form, closely packedfor shipment or stowage.

To this end the invention consists of a box or crate having a bottom,side walls, end walls and corner posts, each post constructed ofsections arranged side by side and having abutting faces, with one ofthe sections of each post secured to the side walls and the othersection of each post secured to the end walls, and bolts or otherequivalent devices securing the sections of each post together.

The invention further contemplates the provision of metal straps securedto the under side of the crate bottom at opposite sides, serving asrunners, and with the opposite ends of the straps secured to the endwalls and reinforcing the completed structnre.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of a crate constructed in accordance withmy invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-section through one of the corner postsat a point where the sections thereof are connected together by a bolt;Fig. 3 is a similar section, showing a modified form of the post; andFig. t is a plan of the crate preparatory to erection.

The box body'is primarily made up of a bottom 5, side walls 6, end walls7 and corner posts, each corner post constructed of two sections, 8 and9 respectively, arranged side by side and having upright abut tingfaces. The bottom, side walls and end walls of the crate are of theconventional slatted construction, with the slats of the bottomextending crosswise of the crate and nailed or otherwise secured to theside rails 10, each side rail having a strap 11 secured to its underface and extending longitudinally of the crate, with the ends of thestraps projecting beyond the bottom and permature.

nently secured to the end walls 7, this con nection of the straps beingeffected by passing the end portions thereof around the bottom slats ofthe end walls and turning in the extremities of the straps over the topedges of these slats, as shown in Fig. 1. The straps serve as runners insliding the crate, and also act to reinforce the completed structure.

The sections of the corner posts terminate slightly short of the loweredges of the bottom slats of the sides and end walls, as shown in Fig.4;, in order that when the post sections are seated upright on the slatsof the bottom of the crate, the bottom slats of the sides and end wallswill extend approximately flush to the under face of the struc- Theabutting faces of the post sections 8 and 9 are preferably shaped tointerfit each other, as shown in either Fig. 2 or 3. In Fig. 2 theabutting faces of the post sections are shown to be rounding, and inFig. 3 they are tongued and grooved together. The two sections of eachpost are secured together when the walls of the crate are in place, bybolts 12 which are arranged longitudinally of the crate at convenientpoints, preferably in the spaces between the slats of the end walls.With the bolts thus arranged they are conveniently accessible forremoval and application, this being accomplished with a screw-driver,for which purpose the bolts have slotted heads. The ends of the boltsare preferably countersunk or let into the sections 9 of the cornerposts in order that no projecting parts will be presented for hanging orinjuring the articles placed within the crate. In assembling the cratethe side walls are stood in position on the bottom, and the end wallsswung in place on the straps, the latter bending upwardly and serving ashinges in the operation. The bolts are then inserted in the sections ofthe corner posts and tightened, when the crate is ready for use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A crate having side walls, end walls, corner posts, each corner postconstructed of two sections arranged side by side and having abuttingfaces, with said face of one of the post sections having a projectingportion arranged along its length and interfitting with a groove formedin the said face of the other post section, and with one of the sectionsof each post secured to the side walls and the other section of eachpost secured to the end Walls, and means binding the interfitting facesof the post sections of each post together.

2. A crate having side walls, end walls, corner post-s, each corner postconstructed of two sections arranged side by side and having abuttingfaces, said faces constructed to interfit, and with one of the sect-ionsof each post secured to the side walls and the other In testimonywhereof I have signed my 5 name to this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

HER-BERT H. CUMMER.

Vitnesses FRED S. LAMB, J. H. VI-IEELER.

